The Black Hole

Whats In A Name?

It was hot humid august night. The winds have all but vanished. I was doing my best to keep the sweat out of my eyes. The A/C was dying in my 94 Explorer, lovingly named "Pugly", and there was no relief in sight. I decided it was time to stop throwing good money into bad. I was gonna do the unthinkable,.......I was going to commit the most heinous crime of them all! I was going to trade Pugly in for a newer model! Oh the heart break! The insanity of it all! I couldn't believe the thoughts were even going through my head.

I managed to get the old girl back home, to her resting place. She seemed at ease in her familiar surroundings. I had to come up with an explanation to let her know of my evil plan. So i just gave her that old wink and grin that she likes to see from me as we made it back home from another day of adventure in the treacherous Midwestern terrain. I did my best in hiding my cynical thoughts, as I walked around to her rear flank and gave her that little pat on her bumper, as I always have when we part for the night.

The next morning I gave her a real good bath, cleaned behind her mirrors, and brushed her grill. She still looked pretty good for her age. Oh sure she had the tell tale signs, gravity has got its firm grip on her, and I am not the best cosmetics guy in the world. she didn't seem to mind too much, she still kept her nose up and drove with pride.

After looking at many vehicles I just could not find anything that had the same feel as my old girl. Then it happened! Was I seeing a mirage? Was I so desperate to find another rig that I was blinded by insanity? I found my replacement! I quickly made a sale with the owner, and brought it home.

When I pulled in the driveway, my heart sunk as I looked into the yard to see my 94 looking at me in disbelief. She was sunning herself in the grass looking all shiny and then, she just looked away from me. My heart was tearing in two. I parked the new rig, and walked up to her and gave her a soft spoken "Hello". No reply. I tried to tickle her mirrors, no response. The tension was so great, you could have cut it with a 32 count fine tooth hacksaw. I had to explain to her that she gave me great satisfaction for many years, and we made a terrific team together, but the time has come for her to just relax and enjoy her final days. She finally revved up, and understood, her days as my work horse has ended (so we thought).

I introduced her to her daily driver replacement. The shiny new(er) next generation of her kind. The 95 Explorer XLT. She warmed right up to it. Before you know it they were swapping stories. Now I had to ask her for help. I needed a name for the new ride,
so I went to find her, and what did I see? Those two were grill to grill in the driveway. rubbing chrome! I had to get the water hose out and break them up! Sheesh, she was acting like a girl at the prom dance! I let the name thing drop for awhile.

The new(er) Ex needed to get its shots, and a physical. When I got the word on it's health, I about had a coronary. "What do you mean Doc"! I yelled. "Your kidding right"? I asked. The Doc just shook his head and gathered his tools. As he walked away, He said it had a 50/50 chance of survival. My stomach knotted up, my teeth ground, my heart raced, and I could feel the energy build up as I let it all out, "Why! Why! Why did this have to happen"! I screamed.

The prognostic exam from the doc was as such. It had a blown steering rack, the shocks were gone, the brakes were non existent, front sway bar was cracked in half, the 3rd brake light was out, none of the windows or the moon roof would work, the door locks were broke, the rear end LS clutch pack was burned up, the tires were all in need of replacement, the spare was a Firestone recall and flat, the engine had a nasty tick to it, the TPS was shot, the MAF was corroded, the battery had a dead cell in it, the hood shocks were not working, the rear hatch lock was jammed up and you couldn't open it with out a key in the lock, The carpet was stained to no repair, the rear window wiper didn't want to work, and we could not tell what year its engine swap came from. it was a mess, to say the least.

I went in the house to get my gun. I was gonna just put it out of its misery right there and then. I suddenly realized I was out of ammo, from shooting at the jeep that was in my field. I went to the computer to find a place to buy some cheap ammo, and I stumbled across this website, explorerforum.com that said it could heal any ford Explorer no matter what the problems were! I jumped for joy, I could not believe the things I was reading! I wore out the search button, asked a bunch of questions. I quickly broke out my pen and paper, feverishly writing down things as I was learning! I had found a cure for everything that was wrong with my new transport. It was a Godsend, an angel from the SUV heavens!

I sprung into action. I worked day and night, Pugly was right by my side the entire time, helping me in any way she could. I never seen this side of her, and was really amazed at how well she handled the pressure. She gently squeegeed the sweat out off my fore head with her soft wiper blades as I worked away. After an entire weekend of work, I collapsed. I needed some rest, and so did the 95. The sun crested over the hills, and awoke me to a new day. I shuffled my feet to the window facing the driveway, peeled the drapes gently back, and peered out at the 95. WOW!
It had a its color back, and was looking great! Now as the time went on, (and most of my paychecks), and the selling of almost everything I own, for funds to get the 95 to its former glory.

After some time to reflect on this name thing, I strolled up and whispered into Pugly's passenger side mirror, and she giggled with delight.

I climbed up onto the front bumper in my pajamas and robe half opened, with a cup of coffee in one hand and the daily newspaper in the other, I raised my arms with out stretched hands and proclaimed the new name of the 95.

BEHOLD...........THE BLACK HOLE!!!!!!!! (Then the neighbor yelled at me to close my robe)



The End................(or is it just the beginning?)


Actually, only some of this really happened.




View attachment 324381

 

[gmanpaint]

Yeah, I looked at the ranger cooler at the dealership when I picked up the new rack. Was like, hmmm, that's new.

For testing purposes, I could bypass it to see if the assist comes back. Thought of doing that this morning, but need a double barbed fitting, that I dont have handy. Might grab one while I'm out and about tomorrow.

The new cooler should help with higher temps these bigger tires create. Placement up front alone will help a bunch.

 

[Brian1]

Either style cooler will be fine, just match the inlet/outlet sizes to your current hoses and don't under-size them.

There are at least two theories out there why tube and fin coolers are better for p/s than stacked plate and that is better flow and tube/fin coolers handle vibrations better which are caused by fluctuating p/s return line pressures. Given the choice I usually go with tube and fin coolers for my p/s system. I use a tube/fin cooler on my overland Explorer and a stacked plate cooler on my trail Explorer. I havent seen a difference in either style.

 

[gmanpaint]

Heading Brian's advice, I decided against that 10 row evil energy plate cooler. It had An10 outs, and would need An6 conversion fittings for my lines.

Ordered a Hayden cooler. Same width as stock, just twice as tall, and has the 3/8" lines, same as stock.

To move it behind the grill, I needed more return hose. Stores are pretty high, compared to online, so yeah... I ordered a 25 ft roll of it, for less than what a store wants for 10 ft.

Hoping that stuff gets here by the weekend, so I can put this thing back together. Hate the spring clamps with a passion, but they do seem to work best on this type of application, so new clamps will be used.

Changed gears today, and started something new. The back half of my well liners are removed for tire clearance. Well, that opened up a cavity, and I'm tired of getting filthy hosing trail debris that fills it up.

Have some left over 16 ga sheet stock from another build. I'm making some well liners with it. Just the back half for now. Will eventually replace the front half down the road. 2 pc will make it easier to remove/install if the need arises.

Got the dr side built today. Just need to drill some holes for fasteners. Wish I owned a metal brake. This was done by hand, the old fashioned way on a work table.

A few bends, a twist, and some little touches to fit snug. Used cardboard mock ups with hinges for the bends. An angle finder to get the degrees right. Some patience and some luck to round out the day.

Will more than likely etch prime, and bed liner them black.

 

[410Fortune]

sweet! Metal liners! I was just messing with my ABS plastic liners yesterday, I had to bend the drivers out of the way so I could adjust my drivers door hinges
Before I made liners and "gap guards" from plastic and conveyor belt material I had mud everywhere and the door hinges paid the price. Nice to have full liners.... can't wait to see how the metal ones turn out!
I have a 36" hand metal brake from HF, it is awesome for stuff like this

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, if you can make them that will help to create better space for tires or inside the bay. Mine have rubbed through from tires and being lowered. The plastic ones are shaped wildly.

 

[gmanpaint]

I made a gap filler for the door jamb to protect the hinges when I cut the stock liners. Those have worked great for that but, it's time to clean that area up with more coverage.

The pass side has a fender support bar on it. That will make that side a bit more intricate to make a metal liner on.

Decided to go buy a 30" hand bench brake today. Lol

Don, your right about the shapes of these things. Way bigger than needed, and really odd shaped.

These aren't being made for any engine coverage, just big enough to cover the cavity, between firewall and fender. More functional than looks too. The one I made weights about a pound, maybe less.

If I can find some small bolt clips and small pan head bolts, that would work nice to fasten these with to the fender lips. Still thinking on how to attach to the firewall side. Probably some 1/2" sheet metal lath screws.

 

[BKennedy]

Filling that gap is something I have always planned on doing, but haven't gotten around to yet. Here in the land of no rust and little mud its easy to forget about. When I wash the Explorer I always find little rocks stuck in the bottom inside of the fender. There is a local plastic supply place that has all kinds of ABS sheets. I need to get over there and look around.

 

[410Fortune]

I used rivets to attach to the firewall
I never had fender skirts in Colorado so dry they were not really needed.
Here in Idaho......immediate need, with the fiberglass front and rear we had some huge gaps to fill

I buy ABS plastic in 4x8 sheets from the supply house, it comes in so handy around the shop. I am still using pieces from the two sheets I bought like 5 years ago...

 

[gmanpaint]

410 I want to be able to take these off, and put back on easily. Screws will allow that. Rivets would work great if not for that want. Using up expensive left over materials already paid for, is a good feeling. I hate letting stuff go to waste, and hold onto them, knowing one day they will be used for something. Just like your 5 yr old left over ABS, you have been hanging onto. lol

I found some J-clips in the 6-32 size, and got stainless bolts to match for the fender lip side. J-clips are shorter, than full size, and can drill a hole, closer to the edge. Fender lip is 3/4" or so. Getting them to stay in place while manipulating the liner in place, is another story tho. If that doesn't work, than I can install small rivnuts to them.

I set up the new 30" metal brake last night. It's just a cheapo HF bench top unit. Pretty stout for what it is tho. Made from 1/4" & 3/8" thick steel. Feels like it weighs over 50 lbs. I watched a few Utoober mod vids for it, to make it easier to use. Will more than likely do these mods to it someday. As is, out of the box, it will still be easier to bend sheet, than how I was doing it by hand, with clamped angle iron.

New power steering cooler arrived last night. Just waiting on the roll of PS hose now.

Also, a new set of Lockright locker springs & pins arrived. I really hope worn springs/pins, is all that is causing the front locker to stay engaged. I get to tear this front end apart again (remove the front axle housing), after It's put back together. LOL

 

[gmanpaint]

I'm working on the new steering return lines today.

Relocated the new plate cooler in the grill, and lines come straight down, instead of to the left or right.

The stock return lines have rubber hose on them, but the metal tubes are bent so they point to the pass side, from the racks port area. I want to change the bends so they point forward, not to the pass side. This is proving to be a bit harder than anticipated. LOL!

I could cut off the ends of the tubes, right before the bends, but that will remove the extruded flare at the ends. I really want to keep those flares, for the hoses. I am afraid I will kink the lines, trying to bend by hand, and really don't want to pack them with sand. Might have to just leave them be for now, and live with the extra length of hose, until I figure this out. Might need to get some custom lines made at a shop. I'm not going to spend a couple hundred bucks on a proper tube bender just for this job.

Edit:

Had to skip a day wrenching on this because of rains. Wasted an entire Saturday cleaning inside the house instead. Fast forward to Sunday....We have power assist again! Tons better now. Either blocked lines or cooler or both! Return to center is better, but not 100%. I think that's in the alignment?

Was able to get the cooler plumbed up with new 3/8 PS hose. Ended up using the screw clamps that came with it. Auto stores aren't stocking them anymore for some goofy reason. Special trip for nought.

Yeah, she a dirty girl right now. Needs a good sponge bath!

Had to make a temporary 1/4" thick bracket for the return line from cooler to rack, until I get a custom line made changing ends direction 180*. It keeps the 180* "U" radius over 3", which your not supposed to go under, so all good there.

For the return hose from Reservoir, to cooler, I decided not to use the brand spanking new line I just bought for it. (smh) It was better just to run a length of hose directly from the cooler to the tank. Routed moocho gooder's.

This stacked plate cooler is twice as big as the stock unit. It's mounted in the grille, in front of the trans cooler fan. When the fan is running, it sucks air through it pretty darn good. Did a smoke test to watch it in action. lol It should be pretty hard to see it once the grill is back on. It now hides the trans fan from view.

For size comparison....

So besides the actual steering wheel/column & intermediate shaft, everything in this system is brand new. What an expensive PITA! Might have cost more than the rig did, when it was acquired over a decade ago.

Ok, so I don't happen to have another 5.0 Explorer hanging around to compare stuff, but I know this negative Battery cable isn't supposed to be in front of the oil filter like it is. It's a total PITA to change the filter like that. I also noticed while doing this work, that that cable is about 1/4' from hitting the harmonic balancer. My only guess as to why it was put there by the 5.0 swap people, is the 4.0 cable is shorter than the 5.0 cable, and they called it good enough. Crazy.

I pulled it down by hand about 1/2" from the balancer. The frame bracket for it by the filter is there, but not being used. Cable won't reach it. Got that short man syndrome going on.

Grill is staying off until the new Headlights arrive. Might be a week or so. Going to try to clean it up (new paint) in the mean time.



Had about an hour left of daylight, and got a bit more done with the sheet metal wheel liners. This Mod is going to be a slow one, as it's something to do in between other jobs. Maybe installed by Spring? Cleaning needs to be a priority on this thing that's for sure. This power steering ordeal has made a mess of everything up front. Couple of wheeling trips in wet areas has left it's mark too. Frame needs a good once over with a wire brush, and another paint job needs to happen. Been a few years since I messed with it. I'm such a slacker!

 

[gmanpaint]

Headlights arrived a few days early. Played hookie this afternoon, and got the front back together.

Grill was removed for the new PS cooler relocation, so it got cleaned, sanded, and new paint. Insert also got the same McLovin's.

Everything laid out, ready for install.

Using a 1/4" dr 12mm 6 point socket pushing on the headlight's bolt keepers (behind them), I removed the old stock headlights, and cleaned up 25 years of crud in the opening. LOL

Did them one at a time, so I could look at how they are supposed to go back on. Haha! Dr side first.

Old and new

All back together now.

Dr side

Pass side

Full frontal with the lights turned on mid day. Hard to get a good picture with them on, and with the stinger. Straight on, and the lights blind me. Too low and it looks weird, too high, and you can't see them that well.

Looks weird to me, but I'm just used to seeing the old nasty stock lights. If they work ok, I think they might grow on me. If not, no biggie, new stocker's aren't expensive.

Running the Sylvainya Silverstars in them, but thinking I need a different set. These have the tips blacked out on them, and I think I need a set that doesn't, for this style of clear lens? I really have no idea. I have never been a headlight modifier, and have never used anything but stock in my day. These are a big step out of my comfort zone as is. I mean, clear lens, and black insides? Lord have Mercy! Mamma said I might be the Devil now!

I can now move on to real work, now that this Foo Foo Light stuff is done.

 

[Turdle]

Every time I have driven in the mountains I wanted more power. None of my Explorer-Mountaineers seemed like they could get outta their own way on those climbs.

A cam will do nothing but move the torque up in the powerband. Shifting to lower gears is definitely what you do not want.


My concern is you'll need a lower gear to take advantage and then the trans starts cooking. Throttle tip in is what unlocks the torque converter so the goal should be to make this happen as little as possible. I would attempt to increase the lower RPM torque.

Only way to do this IMO is to increase displacement. A stroker block with the stock components and headers would help.

Yeah, a blower or turbo set up correctly would work also but man what a can of worms.


correct me if I am wrong, but your adventure trailer has to weigh close to 2 tons. Adding all the weight in back, I just think you are asking a lot of the 5.0.

Pretty sure it could be stroked to close to 5.7 liters for a low rpm application.

 

[410Fortune]

a stroker? I do not think that is in the budget!! I hear what you are saying............... but that is bad news and we don't need no bad news on a Friday AM!!

 

[CDW6212R]

True, more cubes would help a bunch. But finding a feasible price or the parts cheap to do it, that's the rub. Increasing the compression is the best way to get more out of the existing core parts. I didn't want the extra $1k or near that to gain 40 cubic inches(3.4" stroker kit).

So the budget is always a huge key. If you can only do $1000 total, you're not touching the long block. For $3k you can build a stockish/mild engine(pistons that raise the compression, plus the custom cam and tuning to match it). A stroker is great, but it adds to the total costs for sure.

 

[gmanpaint]

Between the trailer and the add on's to the rig, it's about an extra 3500 lbs total for both.

I can't afford to sink another huge investment, into a major engine rebuild, or high priced mods like a supercharger or turbo set up. Just not going to happen anytime in the near future at least.

To be able to tow the adventure trailer, My options are:

A) Sell the trailer, and get a basic small replacement trailer.
B) Sell this rig, and buy a larger truck with more than enough stock HP
C) Figure a way to add more power / Torque in a manner that is affordable.

I could go deeper in the axle gearing, but that will screw me even harder on the HWY. Already running 3000 RPM at 65 mph in 3rd gear. I would be around 60 mph with the next jump in ratio size. HWY speeds are 65-70-75-80 MPH these days, with most around 70-75 across states. Doing 60 in a 75 can be downright crazy at times, with people doing 10 over, and not paying attention as they get closer to you. 65 is a minimum speed this needs to tow at, and 70 would be better.

Kicker is on flat ground, it can pull at 65 just fine. Add any type of grade, and down she goes in speed. Get on the throttle to compensate, and nothing unless it kicks down. Being in 3rd already, kicking down a gear only redlines the engine, and no speed is gained. By the time it can/will up-shift, some speed has actually been lost after all said and done.

After all my hard work, time, and $$ spent on both the rig & trailer, I really do not want to part with either of them, but at the end of the day, if it isn't working, something has to give... Or go, in this case.

For now adding a few ponies on a budget, will be done here & there until I'm defeated I guess. Heading into my off season soon, and funds just aren't available until late spring/summer anyways. So, headers, and cam swap, with 1" intake spacer, and a tune will be the goal for now. If that doesn't help, then I will make a decision on option A & B.

 

[Turdle]

I'm just thinking out loud here when I tell the story of when We put the front bumper and skid plate on. After driving it the first time with the accessories my wife asked what I did to make the mounty so slow. She's right. Being an aerodynamic brick to begin with, the added wings up front really do require quite a shove. Imagine if you will trying to keep up with the 90mph crowd in eastern Utah on I 70. Betty just couldn't quite hang. The displayed economy dropped to 9mpg at that speed. According to scanguage LOD was pegged.

I almost think it's worth using a stock front bumper for the long haul while packing the fab bumper and skid in the back. Not even joking. I think I might have to experiment with this. Might just be the added bump you need, if you can find a way to make your stuff up front more modular and store it in the adventure trailer for the long hauls-----

 

[Rick]

After all my hard work, time, and $$ spent on both the rig & trailer, I really do not want to part with either of them, but at the end of the day, if it isn't working,

How about smaller tires for the highway on the trailer to lessen the rolling resistance?

 

[gmanpaint]

Yeah, not sure about that. Sounds practical and would lessen it some, but also takes away from this combo too much.

 

[gmanpaint]

Took the rig to work today. A truck scale was close to the jobsite.

Loaded the rear cargo box like I was heading out on a trip, minus the fridge.

Had 3/8 of a tank when it sat on the scale, with me in it.

6260 was the number given.

I'm 230, so right at 6000 lbs dry.

Im going back with the trailer hooked up, and will find out its weight. I will empty the kitchen/storage box, and remove any gear inside it too. Tongue box will stay as is tho. Let's see if my build notes, are close to being correct or not. Lol

 

[Rick]

Holy crappoly!!!

That's about 1000 more than the Pumpkin fully loaded.